Central head support for circular knitting and like machines



April 9, 1963 G. AZZOLARI 3,084,527

CENTRAL HEAD SUPPORT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 byg ATTORNESS April 9., 1963 e. AZZOLARI 3,084,527

CENTRAL HEAD SUPPORT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "FAIL I Mg ATTOfLNESS April 1963 G. AZZOLARI 3,084,527

CENTRAL HEAD SUPPORT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 21, 1960 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Guide AZ o/cLrL' A-r-roruwsss ite In the head of a circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery, stockings and the linke, a needle cylinder is provided as a means for guiding the needles and selector jacks which cylinder is usually concentric with an outer casing provided with the necessary apertures for the passage of the means, such as selector plungers, for operating the selector jacks and needles.

Hitherto, this outer casing has been usually constituted by a base plate in the form of a circular ring and by a second plate disposed above and at some distance from the first plate with a tubular member forming a distance piece, the free edge of which is engaged in the hollow part of the said lower plate. In order to ensure stability of the assembly and also to provide for the normal operation of the selector plungers which act on the selector jacks, small posts are provided and are rigidly connected with the upper plate and spaced along the external and internal edges, on which they bear.

It is known in the art that this construction, particularly due to the presence of the stabilizing posts, produces substantial difliculties when mounting the assembly, and in particular when mounting the selector plungers which efiect the operation of the selector jacks. Furthermore such a mounting is relatively diflicult and costly to make. In addition, assembling and dismantling of the casings are inconvenient and difiicult to make, and requires much time, in particular by reason of the very small tree spaces between the numerous mechanisms which are compactly assembled in a relatively small space. Another disadvantage of the use of stabilizing posts is that they require a relatively large space and involve maintenance difliculties.

The central suport forming the subject of the present invention provides a very simple construction together with a substantial technical advance in this part of a circular-knitting machine.

In conformity with the broadest aspect of the invention, the central support is constituted by a cylindrical tubular member which is apertured laterally to permit the passage of the members operating the selector jacks. This cylindrical member has an annular base and includes in its upper part, an annular plate. The construction according to the invention eliminates the need for posts and stabilizing or reinforcing parts of all kinds between the parts disposed between the annular base and the upper annular plate. The annular base is preferably cast in one piece with the tubular member forming the body proper, and is shaped in such a way as to lit with facility in its adjacent support, the latter being usually formed by the hollow base of the head of the machine.

The lateral openings are designed as to number, shape, dimensions and relative position in accordance with the construction and the relative position of the devices for operating the selector jacks, these operating devices being constituted by selector plungers.

As will be seen the construction is substantially simplified and it is obvious that each one of the parts constituting the central support thus produced will be properly adapted to each machine.

One embodiment of the invention, given by way of example will now be described in greater detail with reference to the acornpanying drawings, in which:

ate

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a circular knitting machine provided with a central support in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the head of the circular knitting machine.

FIGURE 3 illustrates diagrammatically and partly in section said head of the circular knitting machine;

FIGURE 4 illustrates, partly in front view and partly in radial section, the central support, and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are sections taken respectively on the lines V-V and VIVI of FIGURE 4.

Various parts of the circular knitting machine are not described or illustrated in detail, including the needle cylinder with its needles and selector jacks, nor its cooperation with selector plungers, since these parts are well known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Patents Nos. 2,217,022 and 2,756,575.

The central support according to the invention occupies, in the head of the circular knitting machine, the position clearly indicated in FIGURE 2 and shown at A in FIGURE 3.

In conformity with the invention, this central support is constituted substantially by a tubular member 1 made in one piece with an annular base 2. The tubular member 1 is formed towards its upper part with a peripheral shoulder 3 on which rests and is firmly fixed an upper annular plate 4. The latter may be eliected, for example, by means or screws passing through the corresponding part of the upper plate 4 and engaging in tapped apertures 5 provided in the shoulder 3. Apertures 6 are provided in the cylindrical wall between the annular base 2 and the tubing shoulder 3, the position, shape and dimensions of these apertures being determined respectively by the position, the shape and the dimensions of the selector plungers denoted at 7 in FIGS. 2. and 3, which selector plungers operate the selector jacks. The selector jacks in turn are adapted to position with timed movement, the needles guided by the interiorly channelled or grooved needle cylinder. The position of the selector plungers 7 with respect to the tubular member 1 is shown in FIG. 2. As a result of the above described construction, the lateral apertures 6 may also be distributed equidistantly according to the variable angular deviations of the particular kind of circular knitting machine with which the casing is used. Similarly, in the upper part of the cylindrical wall of the tubular casing 1, between the annular peripheral shoulder 3 and the upper edge of the tubular member, there may also be provided the apertures, slots or openings necessary for the passage, or to permit the free movement of some of the after-mentioned driving parts. Such shaped apertures are shown at 8 in FIGURE 4. In the upper part, the plate 4 may be provided with corresponding apertures 9 through which extend the driving parts or cams 10 (FIG. 2) for the needles. This cam 10 and its operating means are comparable, for example, to the needle raise cam and its operating means shown in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 2,756,576. The driving means for the cams 10 of the present application which are well known in the art, are shown at B in FIGURE 2.

It will be noted that between the annular base 2 and the upper annular plate 4 extending around the cylindrical body 1, the central support has a completely free space which constitutes a substantial advantage in the construction and assembly of circular knitting machines. It will also be noted that the central support is designed to be located in the hollow lower base of the head of the circular knitting machine, as shown diagrarnamtically at 11 in FIGURE 3.

It is obvious that the central support may have any suitable shape and dimensions and may include such other features as openings, grooves, tapped fixing apertures and & the like in conformity with the parts which co-operate with the central support in the head of the machine.

What I claim is:

l. A central support of a circular knitting machine for receiving a plurality of selecting devices such as a se- 5 lector rack operating device, said support comprising a cylindrical tubular member having an annular shaped base, and an annular plate firmly connected to said tubular member near the top, the body of the tubular member between said base and said annular plate having 19 openings therein for receiving the selecting devices.

2. A central support in accordance with claim 1 Wherein the tubular body has an annular peripheral shoulder serving as a seat for the annular plate.

3. A central support in accordance with claim 1 Wherein the tubular body above the annular plate contains cir cumferentially spaced apertures adapted to provide clearance spaces for the movement of the selecting devices.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,208,698 Lawson et al. July 23, 1940 

1. A CENTRAL SUPPORT OF A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF SELECTING DEVICES SUCH AS A SELECTOR RACK OPERATING DEVICE, SAID SUPPORT COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR SHAPED BASE, AND AN ANNULAR PLATE FIRMLY CONNECTED TO SAID TUBULAR MEMBER NEAR THE TOP, THE BODY OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER BETWEEN SAID BASE AND SAID ANNULAR PLATE HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN FOR RECEIVING THE SELECTING DEVICES. 